WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. software industry is pushing for a
greater role as government officials develop a policy to ward off
attacks on the nation's communications infrastructure, a trade group
said on Friday.
The Business Software Alliance, which represents companies including
Microsoft Corp and Dell Inc., told White House officials this week the
government should share more threat and attack information with the
industry.
It submitted a set of recommendations to Melissa Hathaway, the
acting senior director for cyber space at the White House, this week,
the group said. She had asked for industry views in an earlier meeting.
The private sector owns about 85 percent of critical infrastructure in the United States, according to BSA.
On Thursday, Senator John Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate
commerce panel, held a hearing on vulnerabilities related to
cybersecurity, calling it one of the most crucial issues the nation
faces.
"Cyber attacks have the potential to impact everything, every part
of our security and our adversaries know it -- from the international
power supply networks to Wall Street trading to a small online
business," the senator said his opening remarks.
(Reporting by Kim Dixon; Editing by Gary Hill)
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